OnePlus 15R Smart Phone Review
OnePlus is doing what they do, what all companies do that is, and have released a cheaper version of their flagship smart phone. The OnePlus 15 has been out for a while, but on the 17th the OnePlus 15R launched taking the very expensive OnePlus 15 and making it quite a bit cheaper.
Side to side, you won’t see a ton of differences right off the top. The OnePlus 15R is built with the exact same materials as the OnePlus 15. Generally, this is a spot where all smart phone companies cut a few dollars by replacing aluminum casing and glass backs with plastic or cheaper metals. That isn’t the case here – I was quite surprised to see the glass back specifically. I would have thought plastic would have been OnePlus’ choice here.
Of course there are differences between the two phones, and as we do at GamesReviews.com, our goal isn’t to dive into the specifications of the smartphones themselves, but rather to answer one simple question: does this smart phone, the OnePlus 15R, provide a service a regular, average cell phone user is looking for? And does the price match the experience?
We always argue that average smart phone users are looking for a number of key things. A few of these things are standard across all smartphones: email access, web browsers, etc. What sets cheap cell phones apart from moderate to expensive cell phones is the power and features, and that matters a bit more when you begin talking about camera quality, processing power for gaming, etc.
Form wise, I actually prefer the smaller camera bump of the OnePlus 15R, but that also means there is a camera downgrade here that you might want to be aware of. The bump itself is still quite large, but almost half the size of what you get on the OnePlus 15; in my opinion, that one is ghastly, although becoming quite the norm in cell phone manufacturing as of late. Other wise, as we stated before, the build of the phone is top notch, with the highest quality gorilla glass on the front to limit those scratches. What you get on the 15 is what you get on the 15R, which I think is phenomenal for those looking for a cheaper option, but still a quality one. The same finger print scanner is embedded in the screen on both models, and it is VERY snappy. The face scan feature, on the 15R at least, is a bit hit and miss for me.
A little Plus Key button non the outside frame can be customized to a number of different things, changed in the menu. I’ve been using the camera a lot, so I’ve mapped it to that, but there are a variety of options available for you to choose from. I also quite enjoy the Mind Space software feature, where you can save things you see or record quick voice memos you can access later. It’s handy for when you see something you don’t quite have time to explore, so save it away for later! So often I find software features, new or old, to be for more tech minded folks; I think this will benefits a wide variety of smart phone users.
Gaming – what we are known for here. Playing games on the OnePlus15 R was phenomenal. We put in quite a bit of time with Genshin Impact and the latest Asphalt release with almost no issues. The processor in the OnePlus 15 is slightly better and will provide a better gaming experience, but I only experienced a few dropped frames when playing these games, and otherwise my experience was top notch. The entire device stayed relatively cool as well over long play sessions, and I was shocked by how little the battery actually dropped compared to other phones I’ve used. On paper there is a slightly better gaming experience to be had on the OnePlus 15, but perhaps not one worth the extra costs.
Battery time, and I’m VERY impressed. This is one area where the OnePlus 15R actually has a leg up on it’s more expensive counterpart. With regular use by an average person, you should be getting 48 hours of battery life no problem, and I was even able to stretch that into three days with limited use. It’s great for weekends away when you don’t plan to use your phone non-stop, but want to have it with you without the need to worry about the charge.
Everything we’ve talked about so far has made the OnePlus 15R sound like the standout in the medium ranged smart phone marketplace, but there is one area where, at least compared to the standard 15, you are going to take a hit and that is the camera. I love that this camera can shoot in 4K and up to 120 frames per second, but you camera quality outside of the absolute best light was a bit off for me. Nothing groundbreakingly bad, mind you. In fact, if you rarely use other photo options on the smart phone you are currently using, the fantastic 50mp rear camera on this one is going to do the job well. I was able to snag some truly impressive shots. You just have less options available if you go with this smart phone over, say, the OnePlus 15.
So what do we think? This is an OK smart phone at an OK price. It will do everything average people want it to do, from checking emails and making calls, to snapping quick home videos and playing some match 3 games. If you game a ton and want buttery smooth performance, or want a bit more out of your camera, you might want to consider the OnePlus 15. For most folks, though, this is going to be perfectly fine! That said, I’m not sure this phone is doing anything the competition isn’t, so shopping around might be worth your time.
Article By Adam
